17. KINDS OF FLAVORINGS.--Flavorings are very important in the making of
confections, for it is on them that much of the appetizing effect of
these foods depends. In fact, unless good flavorings are secured and
then used discreetly, tasty results cannot be expected.
The flavorings used in candy making are in reality divided into two
classes--_natural_ and _artificial_.
18. NATURAL FLAVORINGS.--Under the head of natural flavorings come those
which are made from the fruit or the plant that produces the desired
flavor. They are known as _oils_ and _extracts_.
19. The oils are obtained by pressing out the natural flavoring
substance from the material containing it. They are usually very strong,
so that only a little is needed to flavor a comparatively large quantity
of food. Peppermint, wintergreen, and cinnamon are the oils that are
used the most.
20. EXTRACTS are prepared by using alcohol to extract the flavoring
substances from certain materials. The alcohol acts as a preservative,
so that the finished extract nearly always contains a high percentage of
this material. Vanilla and such flavorings as lemon and orange are
examples of extracts that are usually made in this way. A few companies
manufacture a product in which glycerine instead of alcohol is used as
the preservative. Flavorings so prepared are in the form of a thick,
sirupy substance rather than a liquid and are usually sold in a tube.
21. ARTIFICIAL FLAVORINGS.--Flavorings classified as artificial
flavorings are of two kinds: those having for their basis substances
extracted from coal tar and those prepared by various chemical
combinations. They are also known as _synthetic flavors_. With regard to
both healthfulness and taste, they are not so desirable as the natural
flavorings.
22. ADULTERATION OF FLAVORINGS.--As it is a common practice to
adulterate flavorings, every manufacturer of these materials is obliged
to state on the label of each bottle or tube of flavoring just what its
contents consist of. Therefore, when the purchase is made, the label
should be carefully examined. Without doubt, vanilla is adulterated more
often than any other flavoring, a pure extract of vanilla being seldom
found. The beans from which the flavor is extracted are very expensive,
so the Tonka bean and other cheaper flavoring substances are often
resorted to in the making of this flavoring. However, when large amounts
of such things are used, the price of the extract should be less than
that charged for the pure extract of the vanilla bean. Many chefs and
professional cooks overcome this difficulty by purchasing the vanilla
beans and using them for flavoring purposes by soaking or cooking small
pieces of them in the material that is to be flavored or grinding the
bean in a mortar and using it in the ground form.